Udipi Palace

When we hear 'Udipi' only two things come to our mind. One is the Krishna temple and the other is idly-vada-dosa-sambar. Now definetly I am not talking about the temple here. Udipi Palace is a small South Indian eating joint in Kingsbury, in the county of Middlesex. Very soon, the county of Middlesex might get an award for serving the best Indian food in London.

Well, having eaten there many times, I have always stuck to dosa and vada(sambar and chutney is taken for granted). The last time I went there to get a takeway, it was lunch time on a Sunday. The restaurant had advertized in bright colors 'ready meals'. That immidately reminded me of the 'Darshini' or the millions of Andhra eating outlets in Bangalore. So I ordered a takeaway lunch. The smell on the walk back home was intoxicating so say the least. I just could not wait to try the food.

The 'meals' had 2 chapatis, decent helping of rice, rasam, sambar, two veg curries, dal, butter milk, yoghurt and pickles. Overall it is good enough for one person to eat heartily.

I started with the chapatis, dal and veg curry. The taste was amazing. Nothing fancy, but as close to home cooked food as it could get. After the chapatis vanished in no time, I pounced on the rice. Now the best way to eat rice, rasam and sambar is using your hands. First I started with some rice and sambar with the other veg curry. Instantaneous comment was 'super'. The pickle with the sambar and rice jelled like a piece of pineapple on a vanilla cake. Once the sambar was over, the rice and rasam was equally delicious. Of course the left over rasam can be taken as a drink as well (without the kicks). Then came the butter milk. It was not great in quantity, but top notch quality. Reminded me of the days in Bangalore when the best drink to quench the summer afternoon thirst is 'majge' (butter milk).

A hearty experience and the restaurant guy is now friends with me. The next time I went to buy medu vada, he gave me some 'bajis' (pakoda) to taste, as that day he started making them for the first time. Customer loyalty always get rewarded.

By the way, the entire meals costs only GBP 4.00. Defintely worth every penny. There is a abridged version of the meal available for GBP 2.50, but when you go for the meals, go for the full one, so you also feel full. The restuarant is opposite Kingsbury tube station on the Jubilee line. Yeah !!!!!! it could be a nightmare to get there over the weekend, but all efforts are duly rewarded.